New Guinea impatiens plant named ‘Applause Orange Blaze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Applause Orange Blaze’, characterized by its large, bright orange-colored flowers; freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage; mounded and compact plant habit; glossy dark green and golden yellow variegated leaves; and tolerance to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Applause Orange Blaze.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program Inventor inLompoc, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop newImpatiens cultivars with compact plant habit and interesting flower andfoliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of aproprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as codenumber 91-616-2, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with aproprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as codenumber 95-568-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. Thecultivar Applause Orange Blaze was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross incontrolled environment in Lompoc, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atLompoc, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiensare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Plantsof the new Impatiens differ from the parent selections primarily inflower and leaf color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Applause Orange Blaze’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Applause Orange Blaze’ as anew and distinct Impatiens cultivar:

1. Large, bright orange-colored flowers.

2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond thefoliage.

3. Mounded and compact plant habit.

4. Glossy green and golden yellow variegated leaves.

5. Tolerant to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivarOrange Crush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,048. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of thenew Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Orange Crush, in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Leaf color of the new Impatiens is variegated whereas leaf color ofthe cultivar Orange Crush is solid green.

2. Leaves of the new Impatiens have entire margins whereas leaves of thecultivar Orange Crush have serrulate margins.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar Orange Crush.

4. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger and flatter flowers thanplants of the cultivar Orange Crush.

5. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Orange Crushdiffer slightly, 33A and 41A, respectively.

6. Flower spur apices of the new Impatiens are green in color whereasflower spur apices of the cultivar Orange Crush are purple in color.

7. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are lighter in color than peduncles ofthe cultivar Orange Crush.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Kisaul, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,444. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif.,plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Kisaul,in the following characteristics:

1. Leaf color of the new Impatiens is variegated whereas leaf color ofthe cultivar Kisaul is solid green.

2. Leaves of the new Impatiens have entire margins whereas leaves of thecultivar Kisaul have serrulate margins.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar Kisaul.

4. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger and flatter flowers thanplants of the cultivar Kisaul.

5. Flower color of the new Impatiens is lighter than flower color of thecultivar Kisaul, that is, 33A and 42A, respectively.

6. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are red purple in color whereaspeduncles of the cultivar Kisaul are green in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as ture as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Applause Orange Blaze’ grown during thespring in Lompoc, Calif., in a 15-cm container for about 20 weeks afterplanting a rooted cutting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Applause Orange Blaze has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,daylength, water status and/or fertility level, without, however, anyvariance in genotype. The following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Lompoc, Calif., during the spring, undercommercial practice in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse. Plants used inthe following description were grown in 15-cm containers for about 20weeks after planting rooted cuttings. During the production period,night temperatures were maintained at 16° C. and light levels rangedfrom 3,000 to 4,000 foot-candles.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Applause OrangeBlaze.

Commercial classification: New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Applause OrangeBlaze.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selectiondesignated as code number 91-616-2, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designatedas code number 95-568-1, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 10 days at 23° C. Winter:About 10 to 12 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Mounded and compact plant habit.

Growth and branching habit.—Freely branching; pinching, that is, removalof the terminal apices, is typically not required. Vigorous growthhabit.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Whorled. Length: About 7 to 8 cm.Width: About 2.5 to 3 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to lanceolate. Apex:Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire with fine ciliation. Texture:Glabrous. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 147A, not variegated.Young foliage, lower surface: 183B. Fully expanded foliage, uppersurface: Variegated, 147A with 163B along midrib towards leaf base;glossy; venation, red purple. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:183C.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single bright orange flowers. Freelyflowering, usually about one flower per leaf axil. Flowers positionedabove and beyond the foliage and typically face upward or outward.Flowers cupped when opening then mostly flat when opened. Flowers roundin shape. Flowers last about two weeks on the plant depending onenvironmental conditions. Petals self-cleaning; gynoecium persistent.Flowers not fragrant. Flowering indeterminate and continuous.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden,flowering from spring until fall.

Flower diameter.—About 6 to 6.5 cm.

Flower buds.—Rate of opening: From flower bud to fully open flower,typically about 5 to 7 days depending on temperature. Shape:Ellipsoidal.

Petals.—Quantity: Single, five per flower, imbricate. Length: Bannerpetal: About 3 cm. Lateral petals: About 3 cm. Basal or keel petals:About 3.25 cm. Width: Banner petal: About 4 cm. Lateral petals: About2.5 cm. Basal or keel petals: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate.Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth;velvety. Color: Upper surface: 34A; fading to 33A with subsequentdevelopment. Lower surface: 33B.

Spur.—Length: About 4 cm. Color: 184B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect:Mostly upright. Color: 146D overlain with 184D.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers,filaments free, hooded. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther color: 34A. Amountof pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 158D. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One,five-segmented. Stigma color: 185A. Style color: 185A. Ovary length:About 6 mm. Ovary color: 185A.

Seed development.—Seed development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observedto be resistant to pathogens common to Impatiens.

Temperature and light tolerance: In Connellsville, Pa., plants of thenew Impatiens have been observed to be tolerant to full sun conditionsduring the summer and to continue to flower. In Lompoc, Calif., plantsof the new Impatiens have been observed to be tolerant to low nighttemperatures about 5 to 10° C. and to continue to flower.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Applause Orange Blaze’, as illustrated and described.